Field studies and other projects that demonstrate a multi-disciplinary approach to biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, and projects that involve in-country collaborators receive the highest funding priority.

Environmental education programs, development of techniques that can be used in a natural environment, and captive propagation programs that stress an integrative approach to conservation are also appropriate. Projects must directly affect biological conservation.

Sustainable Innovations and Conservation Education with Wildlife-Neighboring Communities in Uganda

PI: New Nature Foundation (Kibale Fuel Wood Project)

Award Amount: $1000.00

Investigating feeding platforms as a means for dispersing and propagating native tree seeds via frugivorous birds in the Dominican Republic

PI: Spencer Schubert

PhD Student, Old Dominion University

Award Amount: $1000.00

Biodiversity Conservation of the Tubah Upland Forests through community edu-engagement using Conservation Radio, Posters, Conservation Champions League, Agroforestry, and Tree Nursery Design, Construction and Management trainings, School Conservation Clubs and the Tubah Local Community Conservation Team.

PI: Ngalim Franklin Njaiwo

Founder/President-The Greens

Bamenda, NWR- Cameroon

Award Amount: $1000.00

Demography of a recovery: Little brown bats rebounding from white-nose syndrome in the North East

Goal: A wide range genetic diversity analysis will be conducted on the Guatemalan beaded lizard and, in the first ever study of its kind, preliminary steps in developing and implementing genetic analysis for the genus Abronia will be initiated. This data, and the subsequent tests developed and utilized, will be extremely important for current and future decision making concerning the conservation of these species and their habitats.

Goal: The Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit was believed to be extirpated in its native habitat in central Washington, and since 2011, over 400 individuals have been reintroduced. Successful recovery depends on detailed monitoring to inform adaptive management of the recovery program. Noninvasive genetic monitoring using fecal DNA allows for powerful demographic and genetic monitoring of the reintroduced population without the need for recapture or other invasive techniques. This project will aid in the recovery of the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit and the results, as well as genetic methods, will contribute to conservation strategies for other threatened or endangered wildlife species.

Location: University of Idaho

Principal Investigator: Stephanie DeMay

Amount Awarded: $1000.00

Torpor in a Critically Endangered Primate: Climate effects on behavior, microhabitat use and reintroduction of the Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus)

Goal: Listed as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List, and thrice included in the Top 25 Most Endangered Primates, the Javan slow loris finds itself increasingly restricted to various environmental constraints. Reintroduction success rates are dismal. Examining the adaptive behavior and feeding ecology of the slow loris, this study will be conducted on 24 lorises in an agroforest to determine the effects of climate, altitude, and anthropogenic disturbances. The results will be distributed as a strategy for conservation of habitat and reintroduction.

Location: West Java, Indonesia

Principal Investigator: Kathleen Reinhardt; Dendi Rustandi

Amount Awarded: $950.00

Serengeti Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation Program

Goal: To conserve wildlife and their habitats and mitigate the human-elephant conflict in villages bordering the Serengeti ecosystem in the Bunda District by:

Providing wildlife and habitat conservation education to five villages in the Bunda District starting from January 1 – February 28. Three village training meetings will be carried out in each.

Establish an exemplary chili pepper and ginger farm at Bukore village starting from January – December.

Purchase and install one grain grinding machine at Bukore village in July.

Conservation Radio: Conserving species of the Bamenda Highlands for posterity.

Goal: Conservation Radio is a project that conserves endemic and endangered flora and fauna of the Bamenda Highlands of the Northwest region of Cameroon via habitat restoration through the establishment of a species safe zone, a Local Community Conservation Team (LCCT), and a 60-minute weekly conservation educational radio show.

Goal: As human populations expand, African primates are increasingly harmed and brought to one of the 22 PASA member sanctuaries for treatment. To increase the capabilities of sanctuaries to help these animals, PASA will hold a workshop in November 2014 at Colobus Conservation, Kenya to focus on wild primate rehabilitation medicine. This training includes two days of theory involving interactive presentations, two days of practical application, followed by one day of extensive evaluation. Emergency healthcare is a critical component of species conservation and the workshop’s goal is to increase the number of primates able to be released following treatment.

Goal: In 2013, Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE), a nonprofit organization dedicate to preserving biodiversity through research, reported the results of a state-wide bee survey: 3 of Vermont’s 15 bumble bee species appear to have vanished or are in serious decline. RNA viruses, once considered to be specific to European honey bees, are among the suspected threats to native bumble bees. My proposed project will address the following objectives:

Define a viral host range across native bumble bee species in Vermont

Use field and controlled greenhouse experiments

Examine the effects of viral infection on bumble bee behavior and health, and the role of shared floral resources in virus transmission

No previous study has defined the viral host range across native bees or examined the role of flowering plants in viral transmission. Filling these gaps in present knowledge is a critical step in making practical management recommendations that maintain healthy pollinator communities.

Location: Burlington, VT

Principal Investigator: Samantha Alger, Ph.D. Student at the University of Vermont

Amount Awarded: $1,000.00

Development and Utilization of a Quantitative PCR for Diagnosis of Steinhausia microsporidia in Captive Polynesian Tree Snails, Partula nodosa

Goal: In 1996, Steinhausia was reported as the cause of death in a Partula turgida population. During pre-release screening for the SSP on P. nodosa, microsporidial cysts, consistent with Steinhausia sp. were seen throughout digestive glands of 27 necropsied snails. Correlation with other histopathological findings was also elusive. The current prevalence and significance of this organism in Partula is unknown. We propose to develop a quantitative PCR for the identification of this organism and screening of populations. Results from this test will be correlated to histopathological findings in order to assess the significance of this parasite in Partula prior to reintroduction.

Goal: The purpose of this project is to investigate the role of spotted hyenas in the African large predator guild in northern Botswana. This study is using a combination of population monitoring, behavioral observations, and experimental techniques to investigate how hyenas interact with other predators. Field research will examine why hyenas initiate or avoid an encounter with competitors. To develop effective conservation measures for large carnivores, it is essential to understand how species-specific behaviors influence inter-species coexistence. This study will contribute to the conservation of large carnivores through integration with long-term work by the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust.

Location: Botswana, Africa

Principal Investigator: Jessica Vitale, Wild Entrust International

Amount Awarded: $1,000.00

Outdoor Teaching on Natural History to Promote the Conservation of Taita Hills Forests, Kenya

Goal: Conservation of the biodiversity-rich Taita Hills Forests in Kenya needs the engagement of the local community. Yet local youth have little appreciation and understanding of what the forests hold. Through an outdoor teaching program for schools, this project will offer opportunities to over 1,000 students to directly interact with the forests, and get a simplified interpretation of the biology, ecology and biodiversity value of these unique forests. Through field lectures, nature walks, games and distribution of nature interpretation materials, the program will contribute to the students’ understanding and appreciation of the forests and inspire them to participate in the protection of the forests.

Location: Taita Hills Forests, Kenya, Africa

Principal Investigator: Lawrence Wagura, National Museums of Kenya

Amount Awarded: $993.50

2014 Grantees

Understanding seasonal diet and habitat overlap of musk deer with livestock and assessment of habitat selection

Goal: Habitat management within the protected areas is a key to an effective management and conservation of wildlife. Himalayan musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster) in Nepal appears to face a huge threat and pressure from livestock grazing in the former's habitat calling for a well-informed understanding on potential diet and habitat overlap with the livestock. The proposed project aims to evaluate the potential seasonal diet and habitat overlap between livestock and musk deer via micro-histological analysis and assessment of habitat parameters respectively. The project is expected to aid in habitat management plan and conservation of the species in the wild.

Goal: Chelonid fibropapilloma-associated herpesvirus (CFPHV) is associated with fibropapillomatosis, the most important infectious disease of marine turtles. The purpose of this study is to develop pathogen-specific molecular assays to detect and quantify CFPHV in various sample types; and to implement these assays to identify cryptic sources of transmissible viral particles in specific sample/cell types involved in symptomatic and asymptomatic CFPHV infection. Diagnostic utilization of these assays will identify asymptomatic CFPHV carriers, helping to determine quarantine status and avoid transmission opportunities among rehabilitating turtles. Understanding how CFPHV is shed will assist turtle population managers and rehabilitators in controlling for this devastating disease.

Goal: The purpose of this project is to investigate spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) behavior involved in resource competition with African large carnivores. This study will experimentally test the impact of several factors (i.e. prey, habitat, carnivore species, sociality) on whether hyaenas initiate or avoid an encounter with competitors, and reveal the relative risks to vulnerable heterospecifics. To develop effective conservation measures for large carnivores, it is essential to understand how species-specific behavioral factors influence inter-species coexistence. Through integration with long-term work by the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, the proposed study will contribute directly to the conservation of large carnivores in Botswana.

Location: Botswana

Principal Investigator: Jessica Vitale

Amount Awarded: $1000.00

Development of Assisted Reproductive Techniques in the African wild dog

Goal: The African wild dog is an endangered canid with less than 5500 animals remaining in the wild. Despite different strategies undertaken to preserve the species, numbers of free-living animals are still declining. The African Predator Conservation Research Organization (APCRO) and the Institute for Breeding Rare and Endangered African Animals (IBREAM) will work together in the development of semen banking techniques and artificial insemination. The use of a worldwide semen bank, containing semen of genetically underrepresented African wild dogs, will enable us to better regulate captive breeding, optimize genetic diversity in captivity and reduce the need to capture wild living animals.

Location: Botswana

Principal Investigator: Femke Van den Berghe, DVM, Msc

Amount Awarded: $1000.00

Dogs Saving Cats: The Livestock Guarding Dog Program

Goal: The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) has undergone severe decline throughout its range over the past century, often due to livestock-predator conflicts. The Livestock Guarding Dog Program continues to be one of CCF's most successful conservation projects. Since 1994, Anatolian Shepherds and Kangals have been bred, trained and placed on livestock farms as a non-lethal method of predator control. To date, participating farmers have reported up to an 80% decrease in livestock losses. The burden of convincing farmers not to kill or harass a cheetah is greatly reduced when they do not perceive the cheetah as a threat to his/her livelihood.

Goal: Pathogens are a leading cause of amphibian population decline and extinction. Anurans commonly found in New England have tested positive for the Chytrid fungus, ranavirus, and typanosomes. Evidence suggests that frog-biting mosquitoes may be vectors of these pathogens. Culex territans and Uranotaenia sapphirina are frog-biting mosquitoes found in New England that could potentially transfer pathogens between anurans and sites. Environemental factors have shown to increase virulence of pathogens and range of vectors, making the geographical distibution important to know in light of climate change. This study will establish frog-biting mosquitoes as vectors of anuran pathogens and will determine the geographical distribution of the chytrid fungus, ranavirus, and trypanosomes in anuran populations and frog-biting mosquitoes by quantitative polymerase chain reaction procedures.

Location: New England

Principal Investigator: Mandy Gaudreau

Amount Awarded: $946.00

Raising Awareness of Endangered Abronia species in Guatemala through Education and the PEFCA Center

Goal: As part of a larger project (Project Abronia) focused on the conservation of Abronia species in Guatemala, the construction and subsequent utilization of the Parque Ecologico Forestal Cerro Alto (PEFCA) Center for Abronia Conservation, Education and Reproduction will greatly enhance our educational programs and awareness campaign. The Center will allow us to increase the number of educational presentations given, increase our conservation footprint through our partner hotels, and will serve the local community with jobs as we plan on training local people to run the day to day operation of the Center.

Location: Guatemala

Principal Investigator: Brad Lock, DVM

Amount Awarded: $1000.00

Primate Protection in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Supporting Local Leaders in Conservation Education Efforts

Goal: The Centre de Rehabilitation des Primates de Lwiro (CRPL) is presently home to 128 primates that have been rescued from the rampant illegal wildlife trade that plagues the DRC. CRPL is the only sanctuary in the DRC presently accepting endangered chimpanzees and primates, thus considered one of the primary players for conservation in the region. In collaboration with conservation authorities, CRPL aims to pilot educational workshops in local villages on conversation issues, laws and policies to increase the number of people respecting these laws, thereby reducing the number of primates being hunted and arriving at the Centre.

Goal: The white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) has a general population decline in states across the USA. It is unsure as to the reasons for population decline and recent research in South Dakota shows that kidney fat index values for the jackrabbit varies seasonally. These results may indicate the importance of carbohydrate content in vegetation, as the vegetation plays a very critical role in pre-natal nutrition and health of the first litter. This project proposes to study the carbohydrate content of vegetation samples from Midwest South Dakota.

Goal: NNF works to protect Uganda's Kibale National Park by helping safeguard biodiversity and improve people-park relations through empowerment of local citizens. The KFWP works with people at the border of the park by promoting efficient stoves, encouraging native firewood crops, and engaging communities through environmental education. The KECI complements the Foundation's other work by creating cooking fuel from farm waste, reducing the overall need for firewood and directly benefitting Kibale's trees and wildlife. through these programs, sustainable and realistic solutions are offered for conserving the park for future generations.